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Nov. 20, 1962
H. J. THOMAS
3,064,846
VEHICLE CLOSURE CHECK AND SUPPORT MEANS
Filed Nov. 6, 1958
3 Sheets-Sheet 1
N
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INVENTOR.
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BY /Viz/%WcZ/Zd%ar
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A TTOEN£Y
Nov. 20, 1962
H. J. THOMAS
3,064,846
VEHICLE CLOSURE CHECK AND SUPPORT MEANS
Filed Nov. 6, 1958
3 Sheets-Sheet 2
IN VENTOR.
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BY
MW
Nov. 20, 1962
3,064,846
H. J. THOMAS
VEHICLE CLOSURE CHECK AND SUPPORT MEANS
Filed NOV. 6, 1958
3 Sheets-Sheet 3
INVENTOR." “
BY
?zz/0r eff/jazz‘
ATTORNEY
United States Patent 0 MICC
3,?64,846
Patented Nov. 20, 1962
2
1
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along
the plane indicated generally by line 4-—-4 of FIGURE 3;
3,064,846
VEHICLE CLGSURE CHECK AND SUPPUR'I‘
MEANS
FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG
Herman J. Thomas, Roseville, Mich, assignor to General
Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of
Delaware
Filed Nov. 6, 1958, Ser. No. ‘772,265
3 Claims. (Cl. 217-60)
URE 2;
FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken generally along
the plane indicated by line 6—-6 of FIGURE 5; and
FIGURE 7, is an enlarged sectional view taken along
the plane indicated generally by line 7—7 of FIGURE 5.
Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the draw
This invention relates to vehicle closure check and 10 ings, a station wagon 10 includes a rear. opening 12
which provides access to the interior of the body from
support means and more particularly to a check and sup
the rearward end thereof. The lower half of opening
port means for a swingable vehicle closure.
12 is opened and closed by a tailgate 14 which is swing
Many current production station wagons include a
ably mounted on the body at the lower edge of opening
vertically swinging tail gate for closing the lower half
of the rear opening to the body. This tail gate swings 15 12 as by suitable spaced hinges 16, FIGURE 2 for move
ment about a generally horizontal axis 17. The tail gate
downwardly from a generally vertically disposed closed
14 mounts a vertically movable window 18 which is
position to a generally horizontally disposed open posi
adapted to be received within ?xed guides 20 provided
tion, and it is necessary that some means he provided
on the upper side edges of opening 12 when the tail gate
to both check the downward swinging movement of the
tail gate when it reaches open position and to support 20 is in a closed position to thereby ‘entirely close the open
ing 12. The tail gate 14 is mounted on the body for
the tail gate in this position.
movement between a closed position, not shown, wherein
The check and support means of this invention is par
the tail gate is disposed in'a'generally vertical position
ticularly intended for use with such vertically swinging
between the jamb faces 22 of opening 12, and an open
station wagon tail gates, although it will be understood
position, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, wherein the tail
that it will have other uses on varied types of vehicle
gate is disposed in a generally horizontal position. It
bodies wherein similar conditions arise. Generally the
check and support means includes three links intercon
can vbe seen that it is desirable for some means to be pro
vided to hold the tail gate 14 in its open position and
also to provide a check for the tail gateduring movement
end to end relationship when the tail gate is in an open 30 to this position. This invention provides such a check
and support means for vertically swinging station wagon
position and are foldable into side by side juxtaposed
tail gates, and this will now be described.
relationship between the jamb face of the side pillar
The check and support means generally comprises
structure and the opposing jamb face of the tail gate
three links 24, 26 and 28 which interconnect the body
when the tail gate is in a closed position. Since the
links are disposed in a juxtaposed side by side relation 35 and the tail gate 14. As shown in FIGURE 1 of the
drawings, the check and support means may be provided
ship between the opposing jamb faces of the pillar and
at each side of the tail gate 14, although if so desired,
tail gate, the links occupy very little space in the closed
it may only be necessary to‘ provide the check and sup
position of the tail gate so as to present no additional
port means at one side of the tail gate. Since the struc-,
sealing problems. However, the interior aesthetic ap
pearance of the body is increased by concealing the links 40 ture is the same at each side of the tail gate, only one
such structure will be described and it will be understood
from view when the tail gate is in a closed position.
that the other is of the same construction. As best shown
Additional means are provided on the links for controlling
in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, one end of the link 24 is
the folding and unfolding movement of the links relative
pivoted at 30 to the jamb face 22 of opening 12 and one
to each other whereby the check and support means of
this invention operates smoothly and easily without re 45 end of the link 28 is pivoted at 32 to the jamb face of
the tail gate 14. The link 26 is pivoted at 36 to the other
quiring any additional effort from the operator in either
end of the link 28 is pivoted at 32 to the jarnb face 34 of
opening or closing the tail gate or closure.
provided with a laterally'extending ?ange 38 which is
The primary object of this invention is to provide an
adapted to engage the lower edge 40 of the link? 26 to
improved check and support means for vehicle closures.
Another object of this invention is to provide an im 50 prevent any clockwise movement of the link 26 relative
to the link 24 once the links 24 and 26 have been moved
proved check and support means for a vertically swing
to an extended end to end position, as shown in FIG
able vehicle closure which is operative to check move
ment of the closure to its open position and‘ also to re-' ' URES 2 and 5.
The links 26 and 28 each include a closed slot 42 and
tain the closure in' this position. Yet another object of
this invention is to provide an improved check and sup 55 44-, respectively, and a headed stud 46 extends through
each of the slots whereby the links 26 and 28 are slid
port means for a vehicle closure which includes a plu
able relative to each other. The link' 26' further in
rality of pivotally interconnected links adapted to be dis
cludes a pair of laterally extending?anges 48 adjacent
posed in an end to end extended relationship when the
the outer closed end of the slot 42 in order to allow
closure is in an open position and to be foldable into a
juxtaposed side by side relationship when the closure 60 sliding movement of the links 26 and 28 relative to each
other but to prevent any swinging movement whatsoever
is in a closed position.
of either link relative to the other. As best shown in
These and other objects of this invention will be readily
necting the body side pillar structure and the side wall
of the tail gate. These links are adapted to extend in
FIGURE 7 of the drawings, the opening de?ned by the
?anges 48 is substantially equal to the widthof the link
FIGURE 1 is a partial rear perspective view of a sta 65 28 so that the links are guided for generally longitudinal
movement relative to each other along a straight line
tion wagon having a vertically swingable tail gate and
path without any rattling or swinging movement what
embodying a check and support means according to this
apparent from the following speci?cation and drawings,
wherein:
invention;
soever.
7
FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG
URE 1;
FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing
the tail gate in a partially closed position;
a
.
'
.
The tail gate 14 is shown in an open position in FIG
70'URE 2 of the drawings, and in this position it can be
seen that the outer ends of the slot 42 and 44 each. en
gage against the headed'stud 46‘under the'a'ction of the
3,064,846
4
weight of the tail gate 14 to thereby hold the links 26
to, as shown in FIGURE 3, during the initial opening
and 28 in an extended position relative to‘ each other.
Since the ?anges 48 prevent‘any swinging movement of
the links 26 and>28 relative to each other, these links
must remain in theinextended end to end relationship,
and the engagement of the ?ange 38 withv the lower edge
40 of link 26 prevents anyv clockwise swinging movement
of this link relative to the link 24 whereby the links 24
movement of the tail gate, andv thereafter the links 26
and 26 are also held in end to end relationship under
the action of the weight of the tail gate 14.
If the operator now desires to close the tailgate 14,
he will manually grasp the tail gate and swing the tail
gate upwardly toward its closed position. During the
and 28 move to an extended position with respect to
each other, as shown in FIGURE 2, when the tail gate
is moved to an open position, with the successive engage
ment of stud 46 with the outer ends of slots 44Wand 42
providing the check when the tail gate reaches a fully
open position.
.
.
Thus this invention provides an improved check'and
10 support means for a vertically swingable vehicle closure.
initial closing movement, the link 28 slides longitudinally
of the link 26 as the slot 44 moves relative to the headed
stud 46 until the inner end 50 of the slot 44 engages the
stud 46; During this initial closing movement of the
tail gate, the link 28 has moved from its position, as
shown in FIGURE 2', to a position wherein the slot 44
is disposed over‘ and in‘ alignment with the slot 42. There
is no swinging movement or. the linkv 26 relative to the
link 24 during this movement, since the upward swinging
,movement of the tail gate 14 applies a force generally
longitudinal of: the links 24,- 26’ and 28, although there
is some slight swingingmovement of the links about pivot
30fsince the‘ links" swing about" a different axis on they
body'than does the tail gate. Thereafter, upon continued
upward swinging movement of the tail gate 14, the link
28 continues; to slide longitudinally of thelirik 26 and the
engagement'of the inner end 50 of slot 44 with stud 46
moves the stud 46 fromthe outer end of the slot 42 to
the inner/end '52 thereof whereby the links 26 and 28
are now disposed in‘ adjacent side by‘ side juxtaposed rela
tionship, asv shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. Again
there is no swinging movement of the link 26 relative to
the link24 during this further sliding movement of the
I claim:
1. A closure check and support means for a pair of
members movable relativeto each other, comprising,'a
pair of links, each being swingably connected to one of
said members, a connecting link having a slot therein,
one of said pair of links having a slot therein overlying
said slot in said connecting link, means extending through.
said overlying slots to operatively connect said connect
ing link to said one link for longitudinal movement of
one link and connecting link relative to each other, be
tween a longitudinallyv extending position ‘and a retracted‘
juxtaposed position, and means swingably connecting said
connecting link to the other of said pair of links for
folding movement of said one link and connecting link
as a unit when in retracted position relative to said other
link to locate said one link and connecting link in juxta
posed position relative to said other link.
2. A closure check and support means for a. pair of
members movable relative to each other, comprising, a
pair of links, each being swingably connected tor'one of
said members, a connecting link having a slot therein, one
of said pair of links having a slot therein overlying said
slot in said connecting link, means extending through said
‘ slots to slidably interconnect said connecting link and’
said one link for longitudinal sliding movement of said
one link and connecting link relative to each other be
link 28' relative to the link 26, although there is some
tween a longitudinally extending position and a retracted
slight swinging movement of the links as a unit about
juxtaposed position, guide means limiting said one link
the pivot 30 of the link 24 on the body. Thus, after,
and connecting link to relative longitudinal movement,
the tail gate 14 has been moved from a fully open posi 40 and means swingably connecting said connecting link to
tion, as shown in FIGURE 2, to a paritially closed posi
the other of said pair of links for folding movement
tion, as shown in FIGURE, ‘3, the links 24, 26 and 28
of said one link and connecting link as a unit when in
have swung counterclockwise as a unit about the pivot
vretracted position relative to said other linkto locate
30 from their position of FIGURE 2 to their position
said one link and connecting link in juxtaposed position
of FIGURE 3, while at the same time the effective length 45 relative to said other link. a
r
of the links has been decreased by approximately one
3. A closure check and support means for a pair of
third, since the links are generally of the same length and
members movable relative to each other, comprising, a
the links 26 and 28, have been. moved from an extended
pair of links, each being swingably connected adjacent
end, to‘ end relationship to a side by side juxtaposed rela
one end thereof to one of said members, a connecting
tionship. Thereafter upon further closing movement of 50 link having a closed ‘slot therein, one of said pair of
the tail gate 14, the link 24 swings clockwise about its
links having a closed slot therein overlying said slot in
pivot ‘30.0n the jamb face 22 of the body as the links
said connecting link, a pin extending through said slots to
26 and 28 swing counterclockwise as a unit about their
slidably interconnect said connecting link and said one
pivots 32 on the tail gate and 36 to link 24 whereby the
link for longitudinal sliding movement of said one link
links 24 and 26, 28, fold over each other so that they 55 and connecting link relative to each other between a
are disposed in a generally side by side juxtaposed rela
longitudinally extending position and a retracted juxta
tionship between the jamb face 22 of the body and the
posed position, guide means on said connecting link
jamb face 34 of the tail gate when the tail gate moves ’ straddling said one link to limit said connecting link
to its fully closed position. This position is indicated
and said one link to relative longtiudinal movement, and
schematically by dot-dash lines in FIGURE 3 of the 60 means swingably connecting said connecting link adja
>
cent the other end thereof to the other end of the other
Thus when the tail gate 14 is in its closed position,
of said pair of links for folding movement of said one '
the linksvare disposed in a completely folded position
link and connecting link as 1a unit when in retracted
drawing.
wherein they are located in a side by side juxtaposed re
lationship so that they easily’ ?t between the jamb faces 65 position relative to said other link to locate said one
link and connecting link in juxtaposed position relative
of the body and, of the tail gate and also occupy very
to said other link.
little space. This naturally increases the aesthetic ap
pearance of the interior of the body since the links are
concealed from view and also does not present any un
References Cited in the ?le of this patent
usual sealing problems between. the tail gate and the 70
UNITED STATES PATENTS
body.
When the tail gate 14 is moved toan open position,
the reverse action takes place, that is the links 26 and
28 initially move from their. folded position with respect
to the link 24 to an'aligned position with respect there 75
2,071,203
2,538,930
2,549,133
2,631,880
Hubbs ______________ __ Feb.
Zummach ____________ __ Jan.
Scott _______________ _._ Apr.
Vigrnostad __________ __ Mar.
16,
23,
17,
17,.
‘1937
1951
1951
19.53
UNITED STATES» PATENT OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
Patent ‘No. 3,064,846
November 20, 1961
Herman J, Thomas
It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat
ent requiring Correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as
corrected
below.
-
-
-
Column 2, line 45, after "face" insert —— 34 ——; line 47,
for "28 is pivoted at 32 to the jamb face 34 of" read —— 24,
and the other end of the link: 24 is ——; column 3,' line 41, for
"par-itia-lly" read —— partially ——; line 61, for "drawing" read
—— drawings -—;
column’ 4 ,
line
19 ,
after "01?” insert —— said
——; lines 21, 37 and 56, for "extending", each occurrence,
read
——
extended
——.
Signed and sealed this 7th day of May 1963.
(SEAL)
Attest:
ERNEST w. SWIDER
Attesting Officer
DAVID L- LADD
Commissioner of Patents
>